Fire-extinguisher.



n. H. OONKLING.

I FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED 1'33. 2, 1909. I 936,985; Patented Oct. 12; 1909.

MIIHIEHIIH t I l j (/1 l l 1 H l v A \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\v WITNESSES ATTORNEYS DONALD HERBERT CONKLING, F FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

Application filed February 2, 1909. Serial No. 475,568.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD H. CONKLING, a citizen of the United States,: residing at Fort Pierce, in the county of St. Lucie and State of Florida, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers, of which .the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of fire-extinguishers in which a mixture of sulfuric acid and bicarbonate of soda is combined to form carbonic acid gas whlch possesses powerful fire-extinguishing properties.

While it is a fact that though the ordinary chemical fire-extinguishers may be quickly recharged if the necessary materials are at hand, yet it often happens that such materials are not always at hand, hence the extinguisher is practically useless to extinguish a second fire that might instantly spring up.

It is the object of my invention to provide means whereby the extinguisher may be instantly and automatically recharged by the returning of the extinguisherreceptacle to its normal or upright position.

My invention therefore consists in providing the main receiver of a chemical mixing fire-extinguisher with a contained automatically recharging apparatus.

It consists further in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will behereinafter fully described and pointedout in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a fire extinguisher embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the main receiver reversed or in the position for dis charging the fire extinguishing mixture. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the extinguisher returned to its normal position, showing the cover of the soda receptacle released to expose the secondary charge of alkali. Fi t is a detail showing air passage from t e primary to the secondary acid receptacles.

Referring to the drawings, inthe particular embodiment of my invention selected and there shown to illustrate the same, A represents the main receiver of suitable shape and construction, shown as provided with a suitable base B upon which it may rest when not in use. Themain receiver is provided at its upper end 0 with a filling opening a surrounded by anoutwardly extended flange exteriorly threaded to receive the screw threaded cap G. The outlet of the main receiver is shown at a, it having connected to it a flexible hose a terminating in a discharge nozzle a The acid receiver is secured to the cap C and comprises the primary chamber D of glass or lead and the secondary receptacle comprising a lower compartment D and an upper compartment D communicating with each other by the tubular passage (Z. The primary acid receptacleD and the secondary or recharging receptacle are rigidly connected by a bridge cl and have communication with each other through the passage (Z which is controlled by a ball valve E which when the extinguisher is not in use rests in a seat 6; when the extinguisher is inverted and in use the ball valve rolls into the pas sage d and closes connnunication bet-ween the primary acid receptacle D and the compartment D of the secondary acid recepta ole; the compartment D is about twice the capacity of the compartment D as shown, and will contain the same quantity of su'lfuric acidthat is put in the primary acid receptacle. Extending from near the lower end of the primary acid receptacle is an air tube G which extends upwardly to a point above the level of opening or passage d between the two acid receptacles and then extends downwardly to near the bottom of the lower compartment D of the secondary or recharging receptacle; the purpose of this air tube G will be more fully pointed out as this description of the operation of the device proceeds.

.As is usual in'this type of extinguisl'iers a considerable portion of the main receiver A is filled with a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and water designated as X and known as the bicarbonate of soda charge, which reaches to near the acid charge containing receptacles.

Then it becomes necessary to use the extinguisher, the various parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the main receiver A is inverted whereupon the initial charge of sulfuric acid in the primary acid chamber D will be discharged into the bicarbonate of soda X which has now dropped to the upper end of the main receiver and forms the carbonic acid gas which is discharged through the hose nozzle a at the same time that this action is taking place the secondary charge of acid in the compartment D gravitates into the compartment D and flows into it until the acid reaches the lower end of the tube at when the flow stops, the capacity of the compartment D. being, as hereinbefore stated,one half of that the compartment D at the same time theball valve E rolls into the passage (Z? and closes the same so that no acid from primary acid chamber D can pass into compartment D As the acid in the rimary chamber D has passed out of said chamber, air will pass from the lower (new upper) end of said chamber D to the lower (now upper) end of compartment D and aid in forcing the secondary charge of acid through the constricted tubular passage clinto the compartment D Now When the extinguisher is again righted the acid which has passed from compartment D into compartment D will pass through passage (1? intoprimary acid chamber D, the ball valve rolling back to its seat 6 leaving said passage (Z unobstructed, all as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. It will thus be seen that the primary acid chamber has been automatically recharged and that the extinguisher is again ready for use, providing the main receiver has the necessary bicarbonate of soda charge.

To provide for the renewal of the bicarbonate' of soda charge I'have devised the means shown in the base ofthe main receiver. These means consist of a receptacle H of suitable size and shape having a cover H which is hinged at h to the upper edge of the soda receptacle; at the free edge of the cover H a hook h is provided which engages a spring trigger latch which holds the lid or cover closed against the force of a spring J which bears against the lower face of the lid or cover; the latch I has an extension I which projects horizontally from said'l'atch; on this extension normally rests a weighted rod K which is slidably mounted in atubular guide L secured within the main receiver and" preferably to the inner wall thereof, the upper end of'the tube L being of course closed. tingu-isher. is used the first time the parts of the' so'da recharging means occupy the position shown in 'Fig. 1. Now, when the main receiver is inverted for use at a fire, the

weighted rod 'K slides to the closed end ofthe *tiibeL and. remains there until the extinguisher is righted again; as soon as this is done the weighted rod K begins to slide downwardly toward the open end of tube L gaining momentum asit goes until it strikes the extension I" of the trigger lat-ch I; the rod K strikes the extension I to trip latch I-and releases the hook it" on the lid or cover H the spring J now throws thelidopen and exposes the'soda charge in the receptacle H all-that is now'necessary is to pour into the Just before the ex-' main receiver the requisite amount of water and the secondary auxiliary charge bicar bonate of soda is ready for use.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I provide means wholly within the ordr nary chemical fire extinguisher for auto matically recharging the same so that it may be used a second time immediately after it has been once used thus adding to the efiiciency of the extinguisher at a small cost and without any inconvenience whatever. It

should also be noted that chamber D of the secondary or recharging sulfuric acid rcceptacle may be enlarged to contain as many reserve charges as desired.

I claim:

1. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir and an acid receptacle held therein, of means within the mainreceiver for automatically recharging said acid receptacle.

2. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver, of a primary acid col'ltaining chamber and means for automatically rccharging said acid chamber by inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver of a primary acid containing chamber, an auxiliary or secondary acid chamber, and means for automatically recharging the primary acid chamber from the secondary acid chamber by inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

at. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver, of a primary acid containing chamber, a secondary acid chamber, a conduit connecting said chambers, and means for automatically controlling comnmnication between said acid chambers upon inversion and subsequent righting of said main receiver.

In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of a primary acid containing chamber, an auxiliary or secondary chamber comprising a plurality of connected compartn'ients, said auxiliary acid receptacle connected with the primary acid chamber by a passageway, and means for control-ling said passageway during inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

6. In a fire extinguisher constructed to ope ate as described, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of a primary acid chamber, an auxiliary or secondary acid receptacle connected thereto by a passage- 1 way, said auxiliary acid receptacle comprising a plurality of communicating compartments connected by a restricted passage, and a valve located 111 the passageway connecting the primary and auxiliary receptacles, said valve adapted to control the passageway between said acid receptacles.

7. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate asdescribed, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of a primary acid chamber, a secondary or auxiliary acid receptacle comprising an upper and lower compartment connected by a restricted passage, the upper compartment of thesecondary receptacle having a passageway connect ing with the primary acid receptacle, and an air tube extending from the lower end of the primary acid receptacle upwardly above the level of the passage connecting the primary acid chamber and the upper compartment of the secondary acid receptacle and then downwardly to the lower end of the lower compartment of the secondary acid receptacle.

8. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of an auxiliary alkali recharging receptacle contained within said receiver, and means for recharging the main receiver with alkali by automatically discharging the alkali into the main receiver by the inversion and subsequent righting of the said main receiver.

9. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described, the combination wit-h a main receiver, of an auxiliary alkali recharging receptacle contained therein, said auxihary alkali receptacle consisting of a container and a latch controlled cover, and

means for releasing said cover upon the inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

10. In a fire extinguisher constructed to operate as described the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of an auxiliary alkali recharging receptacle consisting of a container and a spring-actuated cover, a trigger latch for holding the cover closed, and means for tripping said trigger latch upon the inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

11. In a fire extinguisher of the class described, the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of automatically recharga ing acid and an automatically discharging alkali receptacles contained within the main receiver.

' 12. In a fire extinguisher of the class de' scribed the combination with a main receiver or reservoir, of acid and alkali receptacles within the receiver adapted to automatically recharge the extinguisher upon inversion and subsequent righting of the main receiver.

DONALD HERBERT OONKLING.

Witnesses E. J. STEWART, J. E. FUL'rz. 

